Modern Arabic Literature

The Cambridge History of Arabic Literature #6

by Muḥammad Muṣṭafá Badawī (Editor)

This volume of the Cambridge History of Arabic Literature provides the first authoritative, comprehensive, critical survey of creative writing in Arabic from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The rise of secular education, printing and journalism created a new reading public, and Western ideas and literary forms, notably the novel, the short story, and drama, became influential. This book examines the attempts made by Arab men and women to adapt the imported forms as well as the indigenous literary tradition to meet the requirements of the modern world. Quoted material is given in English translation and there is an extensive bibliography.

588 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Ratko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Преглед развоја модерне арапске књижевности од друге половине 19. века, до неких осамдесетих година ХХ века (прво издање је из 1993. године). Уравнотежено и дидактички написано.
Мени су најзанимљивији били делови о развоју прозних дела - прича, а пре свега романа. Највише пажње је посвећено Египту, Либану и Сирији као најважнијим центрима арапског света и због тога је и споменут највећи број аутора из ових земаља. Поједина дела су укратко препричана, па ово може да буде и водич за даље истраживање.

[Khadija Maqableh · Rating 5 out of 5]

عمل رائع، إن حصلت على المجموعة الكاملة مترجمة سأكون في غاية السرور، مؤسف أن أفضل الدراسات عن أدبنا هي دراسات أجنبية

[Caracalla · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection I read in less depth than the Abbasid volume in this series. Essays often list short synopses of novels breaking up passages of extensive and developed analysis. Like the other volume, it attempts to cover a wide, geographic range of literary production rather than discussing only the most celebrated literary works. This avoids the coverage involving an excessively evaluative aspect and equally accords with the series' purpose of being a 'history' but does make passages fairly tedious and unenlightening. I liked the article on the modern Egyptian novel but I generally think that I would have been better off reading Sabry Hafez or Roger Allen's monographs on modern Arabic literature.